A Trial of Operations
by American Queen
Summary: With the trial of the Double Ohs, a terrorist group who ploys on teens, beginning, Joe Hardy gets kidnapped. Frank works to try to find his brother while being a witness for the Prosecution, and to stay alive before the brother's fight ends 6 feet under.
1. Morning Wake Up

_'We the Jury find the Defendant not guilty…not guilty…not-'_

"Joe! Get your ass out of bed. Come on, wake up!"

Joe Hardy woke up with a start. His pounding head and dazed vision told him to get back to sleep, but his obnoxious older brother Frank told him otherwise. He couldn't get to sleep at all that night.

Frank yelled from Joe's door, "Look, you've got 10 minutes to get ready and be downstairs or else I'm leaving without you. You knew I wanted to get to school early, so please, for once, be on time?"

"Agh…alright, alright. I'm coming."

In 7 minutes on the dot, Joe came downstairs ready for the day ahead. He met up with his aunt who gave him breakfast on the go with a small kiss on the cheek. Frank was already waiting inside their SUV with the morning news blaring from the car. Joe couldn't help but smirk at Frank as he entered the car, eyeing his pissed off expression.

"Dude. I really wanted to leave 10 minutes ago-"

"Frank! Stop. Okay, I get it. You're acting a lot like Mom."

"Well, someone has to take responsibility…."

Awkward silence fell between them as they got closer to Bayfield High. The news was still on with a weather update mentioning another scorching hot day in the New York/Bayfield area. At a red light, Frank finally had a chance to take a look at his younger brother. At 17, he was very built at 6 feet. His messy blonde hair and exhausted looking eyes was anything but the "normal" Joe he sees so often. It looks like he just crawled out of bed and came downstairs in 2 seconds, which he probably did. Joe took a bite from his English muffin just as the light turned green.

"Did you get any sleep last night?" Frank asked.

Joe just stared at Frank and said, "Does it look like I got any sleep? On and on and on I would hear the same words repeated over and over like a cycle. I couldn't shut it out from my head."

"What words?"

"'Not guilty.'"

"You serious? Oh come on Joe. We found enough evidence against the Orlowski Organization to put them in prison for a very long-"

Frank's response was quickly cut off from what he had been waiting to hear all morning.

"What?"

"Shhh…."

The news anchor on the radio was giving the low down of their biggest story: the Orlowski Organization trial.

_"…Orlowski Organization head leader Daniel Orlowski was apprehended one month ago after 3 very long stressful weeks. Since his arrest, all Orlowski Organization plots have ceased and for now stopped. The terrorist group targeted many New York cities, including New York City and Bayfield who prayed on teenagers ranging from 13 to 21 to "do their dirty work for them" as I quote Chief Ezra Collig of the Bayfield Police. The "Double Ohs" as they soon came to be called manipulated kids directly and personally, or indirectly and from online sources. From witnesses of the crimes, the Double Ohs would act friendly, then peer pressure teenagers for money, or even murder. The dirty work came to be known as a long stretch of petty crimes to more serious plots that resulted in multiple murders and other life-threatening events. Bayfield is home of the honor as Detective Fenton Hardy and the Bayfield Police helped track down this terrorist group leader. His trial date is scheduled for today at 2 PM Eastern Standard Time. He is set up for 9 counts of murder…"_

"Are you serious! They mentioned everybody in the whole city but us. AND we practically solved the whole damn case!" exclaimed Joe.

"Look, we don't solve crimes for the joy of getting famous or getting credited all the time. We help people out and save a lot a lives." Although Frank was a bit disappointed he didn't hear his name besides his father's.

Joe turned to stare at his brother for the second time. "Since when did you start talking like this? Sure we save a lot of lives, but you nearly got yourself killed, remember?"

Oh, how Frank could definitely remember it. Henry Stanton, known as The Top Notch, was Daniel Orlowski's second in charge. Frank was doing a little undercover work against his father's wishes to pose as a manipulated teen. Somehow –Frank still can't even understand how– he was made and had to deal with The Top Notch personally with a dozen or so beatings and abuses. He was left to rot in a hidden basement at one of the Base of Operations in Jersey. It wasn't until 2 days later when SWAT came bursting through the door helping a weakened Frank and rushed him to the nearest hospital. He still had the bruises to show for it. But he didn't want to think about that now. That was something he didn't wanted to relive ever again.

"So tell me what is so important again for getting to school early?" Joe asked with the last bite of his English muffin stuffed in his mouth.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not missing out on this trial. I'm getting to school to complete a Calculus test so I can leave early."

Joe just looked out in front of him at the empty senior parking lot. "And why am I here again?"

"You would have missed out on your ride if you didn't come with me. Look, sleep in the car, do whatever you want. Just give me the keys when you're done."

And with that Frank parked his car, got out, grabbed his books, and headed for the school building. Joe was actually amazed at Frank. With all this commotion going on with the Double Ohs, he couldn't concentrate that well on his school academics. Yes, the homework did get completed, barely, but Frank seemed to have nothing on his mind but school.

Joe checked his watch. 6:30. Shit, school doesn't start until 7:45. '_Yup, I'm definiately going to be taking some Zzzzs until school starts_.' With that, Joe set his watch alarm for 7:30. Finally relaxed and in the best car position possible, Joe took a hard nap in the back seat.

With 20 minutes passed and dawn just waking, he had no idea that someone unwelcomed started walking nonchalantly toward the Hardy SUV.


	2. In The Parking Lot

_"Not guilty…not guilty…"_

"_Frank, Dad, how can they possibly be innocent?" Joe turned to look at his 18 year old brother and his father. They were mumbling something and to Joe it sounded like "Not guilty." The whole courtroom seemed to be in pandemonium right now. _

"_Hey, guys? Did you hear me?"_

_Frank and Fenton turned toward Joe, and Joe couldn't help but gaze onward as their shirts read "Not guilty."_

"_What the hell?" Joe was soon starting to be engulfed by all the "Not guiltys," and he couldn't take it anymore…_

Joe woke up with a start as he heard pounding from the passenger side window. He gasped when he saw a curious looking Kimberly Keane staring into his face between the window glass.

"OH, Jesus. God Kim, give me a heart attack why don't you?"

Kim was giggling from the start, and Joe couldn't help but smile. Her beautiful slender body was every man's wish with tight thighs and a great ass. Her long brunette hair was pulled back in a ponytail as she wore a tank top and shorts. She was sweating from what Joe could tell, but it was more like a sexy glisten. Joe's heart missed a beat or two, even though he had a girlfriend, he couldn't resist. Joe took the keys and climbed to the front seat. He then started the car and rolled down the passenger side window.

"Joe, you finally got kicked out your house! Took them long enough."

"Not exactly. I didn't have a ride this morning besides my brother, and I'm sure in hell not walking to school. He had to go in early for some Calc test. We were low on cars this morning. And who gave you permission to wake me up at," Joe checks his watch, "five to seven? By the way, what are you doing here this early anyway?"

"Oh Joe, you should know me by now. I just couldn't resist seeing you slumber in your back seat. And I even took a picture for my entertainment."

Kim flipped out her camera cell phone and revealed the shot of Joe to him. For a moment he just sat there blankly looking at it. All of a sudden he burst out laughing for the shot was of him sleeping like a baby.

"Damn, girl. Does this mean blackmail so you can't show it?"

Kim just hesitated. For a moment, Joe could have sworn she had a ping of shock, or even dread in her eyes, but that quickly went away to show that amused look on her face.

"I'll think about it. Anyway, why am I here so early? Well, the new softball fields aren't ready and we have to use the field house for now. The only problem with that is just everyone wants to use the field house for everything, and the only time we can use it is before school. I forgot my bat so I ran to get it in my car."

"Can't you use a school bat?"

"Nope, not the same."

Joe just smirked at the last remark. He probably looked like shit with the messy hair and unwashed face staring up at her. He hated when hot girls saw him as a scrubby looking guy, but she took a picture of him, so all is good.

"I gotta go before my coach kills me for being out here talking to you. See ya later."

"'Bye." And with that Kim turned away from his car. Joe noticed that there were a few more cars parked in the parking lot with one of them belonging to Kim. He was watching her with really nothing else to do. He doubted he could get back to sleep after having been crudely woken up for the second time. But he didn't mind this wake up call.

Joe was lost in his own thoughts when Kim tripped by her car. He quickly snapped back to reality when she hit the pavement. _Whoa_, Joe thought to himself, and he realized that she couldn't get up from the ground. He unlocked the door and slipped out of the car, jogging a good 20 feet toward her. He might not look like a knight in shining armor, but this will have to do. As he came right beside her, Joe realized that she was crying, but he couldn't really see any kind of injury.

"Hey Kim. You all right? Did you hurt yourself?"

As Joe said this, a dark blue van from the other end of the parking lot sprang to life and came toward the duo. Kim nodded a no as she started to weep. Joe couldn't really understand it. She was crying like someone in her family died, yet she barely scraped her skin. He started to help her up when the van met them. A guy looking about Frank's age wearing jeans and a t-shirt stepped out of the driver's seat and came up to them.

"Hey. Do you guys need help? I saw that nasty fall back there."

"Um, no. Thanks anyway, but I think– "

Joe's words were soon called off as Kim broke from Joe's grip and the van driver lunged toward Joe. Caught off guard, Joe fell to the ground in a heap. At that second, three more goons started coming out from the van's side door. Joe stood up and started to regain some composure, but that was interrupted by a blow to the stomach. Joe yelped and doubled over, comprehending that this wasn't a social call. Joe looked up just in time to see the driver give a karate blow to his neck, but this time Joe was quicker. He step sided the bigger man and kept his guard. The three other men quickly joined the driver all wearing the same jeans and t-shirts.

It was a four to one ratio, and Joe didn't have to be an expert at math to know that wasn't good odds. Joe's stomach was getting sore, but he had more important things on his mind. How in the hell did this happen? One minute he was helping Kim, the next these…wait, KIM! Joe took his eyes off the thugs for a moment to glance at Kim. He couldn't believe what he saw. She was standing, bawling, and just _watching_. Joe took another moment to ponder this all in, but it was enough for the quartet to jump him again. The tallest guy came over and grabbed Joe, putting him in a chokehold. Joe was struggling, scratching, doing anything to try to get out of the man's hold. He attempted a "HELP ME" to Kim, but nothing came out but a gasp. The driver was going back to the van while a second criminal came toward Joe and pinned his right arm down to the floor; the third criminal held his left arm down. _Shit_. Joe could not see where this was going until he noticed a needle and syringe in the driver's hand walking onward. Joe's heart sank once he spotted the new supplies and fear was now rushing all over his body. He started to panic not knowing what this animal was going to inject in him. He could have sworn he heard Kim start to vomit and run away, not taking anymore of this. _Some help she was_, Joe thought as he noticed the driver attaching the syringe and the needle. Joe started trying much more desperately to get out of this death grip.

"Hurry up, will you. We can't hold him for much longer."

The driver just stopped and stared. "What, three people holding one punk down for one minute his hard? Jesus Christ, you guys are babies!"

And with that the driver stuck the needle up Joe's right arm. Joe gasped and felt a quick sting of pain as the needle entered his skin, injecting its contents. He suddenly felt extremely weak and stopped struggling with his attackers. They let go of him as one of them picked Joe up into the van. Joe's world was spinning with every color in the color spectrum meeting his eyes. Eventually he hit the van's interior hard and all the bright colors soon turned to black as darkness overwhelmed him.

Joe was the one helping people to the one who severely needed help in a record of 3 minutes.


End file.
